Recycled tire sewage treatment apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

A simplified method of utilizing used vehicle tires in the construction of a waste fluid treatment system, and an apparatus for carrying out the same method, are disclosed. The apparatus according to the invention comprises tires cemented with industrial glue to form sewage sedimentation and disposal chambers. A minimum of new materials and labor are required in the method and apparatus, resulting in additional environmental and economic savings.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIOS

US Patent Documents US-2002/0179511 December 2002 WOFFORD 210/151US-2002/0179510 December 2002 WOFFORD 210/151 U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,238August 1999 TRACY 126/641 U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,287 April 1989 TRACY405/36 

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

2221479 February 1990 TRACY GREAT BRITAIN

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

Reference to a Microfiche Appendix

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to sewage treatment systems,specifically to a system composed primarily of used vehicle tires.

2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under37CFR 1.97 and 1.98

Lawrence Tracy disclosed a sewage treatment system in Great Britainpatent 2221479 utilizing discarded vehicle tires. Similar systems,termed “chamber” or “infiltrator” units are legally permitted andinstalled in Virginia and other United States for home construction.These systems, and the invention described herein, differ from the Tracyinvention in that neither require a distribution pipe or gravel, asrequired in the Tracy configuration. Gravel is a major expense, andgravel placement is a major labor requirement in septic systemsutilizing gravel. The use of a distribution pipe in the Tracy designrequires cutting large holes in both sides of the tire, and threadingthe distribution pipe through said holes. This contrasts with theinvention disclosed herein, which requires only glue and a small drillfor assembly of the body of the drain-field chamber.

The Tracy invention utilizes staples and other mechanical fasteners, incontrast to the following Disclosed invention, which seals the tireswith chemical cement. Fastening tires with staples may allow theWastewater to leak disproportionately from the anterior of the tirechamber, particularly in climates experiencing freeze-thaw soilconditions.

The invention described herein utilizes a waste product, resulting ineconomic and environmental benefits relative to new molded plasticcomponents.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a simplified method forutilizing discarded vehicle tires in the construction of waste fluidtreatment systems.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus to be usedfor the method noted above.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided amethod for construction of drain field tanks and chambers, whichcomprise the steps of gluing the tires together and fitting theresulting tank and chamber openings with appropriate covers.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda waste fluid treatment apparatus, which comprises tires glued togetherto form a settling tank prior to drain field chambers.

These and other advantages, features and objects of the invention willbe appreciated upon review of the following description of the inventionwhen comprehended in conjunction with the attached drawings with theunderstanding that modifications, variations and alterations may beaccomplished by those skilled in the art of the field of the disclosedinvention without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimsappended hereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of the first step in the construction process ofthe invention-gluing two used tires together.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a completed component-in this case many usedtires glued together.

FIG. 3 is a frontal view of a used tire prepared for drainage of treatedsewage by addition of an aperture.

FIG. 4 is a side view of one example of a completed sewage treatmentsystem primarily of used tires.

FIG. 5 is a top view of a plastic plate used to seal a tire except forpipe entry apertures.

FIG. 6 is a top view of a plastic plate used to seal a used tire.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a septic tank or pump tank unit constructed ofused tires and plastic plates.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

To attain the objects as noted above the inventor analyzed establishedand innovative sewage treatment systems with a view to replacing newmanufactured components with waste materials, while identifying theminimum components required for an operational unit. It was found thatused vehicle tires could replace new molded plastic chamber componentsas well as concrete septic tanks with a minimum of modification. Theinvention is predicated in this finding.

More particularly, the present invention features the method of gluingused tires together to instantly construct a tank or chamber for use insewage treatment.

Further, the invention features an apparatus, which comprises a settlingtank manufactured from used tires connected by a pipe to a sewagetreatment chamber or chambers constructed of used tires.

Briefly, according to the invention used tires are glued together withindustrial glue to form components of as sewage treatment system. Toform a septic tank the section of glued tires is capped with a plasticplate with pipe apertures and a plastic plate without apertures is gluedto the bottom of said tank. The section of tires glued together to forma chamber is capped at the anterior end with a glued-on plastic platewith a pipe aperture. The tires are further enhanced by the addition ofapertures in the bottom edge of the tires to allow drainage of thetreated sewage.

Now, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described withreference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of the present invention.More specifically, the Figure shows an apparatus, which comprises a usedtire A cemented to used tire C with industrial glue B. This is thebuilding block unit of the invention. The process of gluing used tirestogether is continued as necessary to produce an apparatus of thedesired dimensions.

This process results in a component, as in FIG. 2, in this illustrationmany tires glued together to the desired dimension as referenced above.This component in the illustrated horizontal orientation would beutilized as a sewage storage and treatment chamber in the preferredembodiment of the current invention

FIG. 3 is a frontal view of used tire A prepared for drainage of sewageeffluent by the cutting of aperture D. The size of aperture D can beadjusted to varying soil conditions, desired wastewater residence times,and other variables. For example, in sandy soils the apertures could belarger as the soil is able to absorb the fluid more rapidly than in claysoils.

FIG. 4 is a side view of one example of the preferred embodiment, acompleted sewage treatment system composed primarily of used tires. Inthis example, unit Z, a sedimentation basin resulting from a verticalorientation of the process of repeatedly cementing tires together asdescribed above, receives sewage from pipe X. Pipe X passes throughplastic lid E which is glued onto tire A. The sewage is contained withinthe cemented tires by bottom cap H. The clarified effluent passesthrough pipe Y up through cover plate E and into the drain field chamberthrough another plate E with a single pipe aperture. Used tire A isglued to used tire C with industrial glue B, and this process isrepeated with successive tires and glue until the desired componentdimensions are achieved. Sewage flows from pipe Y, through end plate E,into the horizontally oriented sewage disposal chamber Y1. The treatedsewage effluent flows down the length of the chamber Y1, drainingthrough apertures D into the soil.

Now, the plates covering the ends of the chambers are detailed. In FIG.5, plastic plate E of sufficient size to cover the original tire hole ofthe first tire A in FIG. 4 is outfitted with holes F and G to allowpassage of sewage influent and effluent pipes X and Y in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is atop view of plastic plate H in FIG. 4 which serves to sealthe bottom of the sedimentation basin Z in FIG. 4. Plastic plate H is ofsufficient size to cover the end of the last tire of component Z in FIG.4 designed to contain wastewater for sufficient time to allow propersedimentation. This is further illustrated in FIG. 7 in which the usedtire assembly labeled sedimentation basin Z in FIG. 4 is sealed withimpermeable plate H on the bottom and covered with permeable plate E ontop as shown in FIG. 4. Component Z in FIG. 7 may be considered ageneric component for wastewater treatment, and utilized in either ahorizontal or vertical orientation and with or without watertight sealplate H or permeable cover E.

The specifics contained in the above description should not be construedas limits on the scope of the invention. Many variations are possiblewithin the teachings of the invention. For example, the basic sealedmultiple tire chamber could be utilized as a clear well, wetland cell,distribution box, or other sewage treatment unit. In addition, liquidwastes other than sewage can be processed with this invention.

Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the followingclaims and their legal equivalents:

1. A treatment system which does not require a distribution pipe or gravel media for processing sewage and other fluids from homes, businesses, farms or other properties, comprising: A. vertically oriented sedimentation and horizontally oriented disposal chambers composed of used tires cemented in axial alignment with industrial glue; B. plastic plates cemented to the ends of said tire assemblies forming water-tight chambers, said plastic plates possessing apertures as necessary for passage of pipes carrying sewage influent and effluent; C. pipes to conduct influent to said sedimentation chambers; D. pipes to conduct effluent from said sedimentation chambers to said disposal chambers; E. said horizontal disposal chambers consisting of used tires cemented together and with apertures drilled into the bottom tires edges to allow drainage of effluent into the soil.
 2. A method for construction of a sewage or other fluid treatment system from used tires comprising: A. cementing used tires in axial alignment with industrial glue; B. orienting said tire assemblies in a vertical direction to form a sedimentation basin; C. orienting said tire assemblies in a horizontal direction to form a disposal chamber: D. cementing plastic plates to the open ends of said chambers to form watertight containers; E. cutting apertures in said plates to allow passage of influent and effluent pipes as necessary; F. attaching an influent pipe into said sedimentation basin through said aperture in said plastic plate sealing said sedimentation basin; G. attaching an effluent pipe into said sediemntation basin through said aperture in said plastic plate sealing said sedimentation basin; H. attaching said effluent pipe from said sedimentation basin into said disposal chamber through said aperture in said plastic plate sealing said disposal chamber; I. Drilling or cutting apertures in the bottom edges of said tires comprising said disposal chamber. 